Formula E team up with University of Southampton to make a point about Global Warming

Over the last few years, Formula E has been making a splash.

Formula 1’s competitor is notable for its success in moving its motorsport with the times. Its use of social media is impressive, especially its Fanboost initiative, allowing fans to vote on social media to choose which driver gets a boost to his car. Its dedication to taking its races to exciting city-scapes is also interesting.

But perhaps the most interesting part of Formula E is the entire premise of the sport: its electric cars.

In the green age, what could be better than cleaning up motorsport? It makes it into much less harmful fun, but it also makes a point about the environment.

And, in typical digital media-savvy Formula E fashion, they’ve even released a video to drive that point home – and you can see it below:

Global warming and the other big issues of our age are often overlooked by sport. It usually exists in its own bubble, often afraid to take a stand on these big issues for fear of upsetting people; be that its fans, its sponsors or just a fear of bad press.

But Formula E is teaming up with Southampton University to understand more about the phenomenon at a time when ice is melting and breaking off the polar ice caps in record levels. The pair took a trip to the Arctic for the filming of the video, and placed a tracking device on an iceberg that had broken off to allow scientists to track its journey.

“I have four children and the future of the planet depends on how we can control the effect that human life is having on the environment and the climate,” Formula E chief executive Alejandro Agag told The Drum.

“That is why I think climate change is very important to address, to control, to face, and everyone can do something. We do something for motorsport, other people can do something from whatever they do in their lives.”

Formula E and Southampton University will release a 48-minute documentary of how the event was put together, and it will be premiered on 13 November in Marrakesh in Morocco on the same weekend as the inaugural Marrakesh Grand Prix.

About author

Chris McMullan
Chris McMullan 831 posts

Chris is a sports journalist and editor of Digital Sport - follow him on Twitter @CJMcMullan_

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